Illegal cigarettes and tobacco worth £45,000 seized in Tayside and Perth and Kinross

More than 39,000 illegal cigarettes and approximately 7.5kg of tobacco has been seized across Tayside.

Officers from Police Scotland, alongside Trading Standards and HMRC, were working as part of Operation Machinize to break up money-laundering networks and stop the use of high street businesses as a front for illegal activity.

Raids were carried out in Perth and Kinross on October 5, and in Dundee on October 26 and 27, based on information from the National Crime Agency.

More than 39,000 cigarettes and 7.5kg of tobacco with an estimated value of £45,000 were seized, and police say enquiries are ongoing with the help of other agencies.

Detective Sergeant David Feeney said: “These are significant recoveries and the result of many months of work by a team of officers and our partners

“We will continue to work collaboratively to deter and detect this type of criminality in our community, using every tool and tactic at our disposal.

“I would encourage anyone with information about illegal cigarettes or tobacco to contact Police Scotland on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“You can also contact your local Trading Standards department with information.”

Tom McEwan, Perth and Kinross Council’s housing and wellbeing convener, said: “This is an excellent result and demonstrates what can be achieved when the council and our partners work together, combining intelligence, expertise and enforcement activity to tackle illegal trading. I want to thank everyone involved in taking these illegal products out of circulation.

“Counterfeit tobacco can cause harm in our communities, undermining legitimate businesses and making cheap tobacco more easily available.

“They are not made to the usual standards so may contain toxins and be even more harmful.

“Seizures like this demonstrates the value of that partnership working, and we will continue to share intelligence, coordinate enforcement activity and take action with our partners to disrupt the supply of illegal products and help keep communities across Perth and Kinross safe.”